Medication therapy management goes hi-tech: implementing automated software improves pharmacy efficiency.

BACKGROUND: With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandate that all Medicare Part D benefit sponsors must offer members a medication therapy management program, pharmacists were facing new challenges of data collecting using software applications that had limited use for the new program.

OBJECTIVE: Health Net pharmacists initiated an automated software application to increase the efficiency of the medication therapy management program, the integrity of the member profiles, and the ability to provide accurate reporting of drug-related issues.

METHODS: Pharmacists were integral contributors to the automated software program; they developed the clinical algorithms, screen layout and transitions, and program functionality. Together with a programming company-Cognizant Technology Solutions-they created a web-based software application to accommodate an increasing number of eligible members and ensure accuracy of the information; they also performed testing of the final product.

RESULTS: The new program includes member demographics and qualifying parameters that are uploaded monthly. All drug-related problems are now displayed and updated automatically by the software application. Assessment questions are answered and saved within the software, and reporting functions allow for quick and accurate results. Consequently, the number of drug regimen reviews and drug problems identified has increased by more than 300%.

CONCLUSION: The automated software application is capable of maintaining and updating medication claims, sending and receiving faxes to physicians and pharmacies, and allows for documentation of patient-specific freeform text. Each profile is extensive and allows the pharmacist to get all necessary information from a single source.